The Agisters of Asolade

Races

Humans are the dominant race on Harn. They live on every part of the island both in tributary and feudal kingdoms and in nomadic tribes; civilized Harnians often refer to the tribesmen as “barbarians”. The predominant human sub-races are Harnian, Ivinian, and Jarin.

The Jarin are descended from the earliest settlers of the island and their ancestors had extensive contact with the Khuzan and Sindarin prior to those races’ withdrawal from most of Harn. This contact has resulted in the passive and mystical nature that still characterizes the Jarin of today. Most of the human residents of the Khuzan and Sindarin kingdoms are of pure Jarin stock, as are most of the non-Ivinian residents of Orbaal. Approximately half of the tribal humans also have significant Jarin blood. The Jarin tend to have darker hair and eyes and be shorter than average.

The Ivinians are native to Ivinia, a part of the Lythian mainland northeast of Harn. The limited resources of their homeland have always encouraged younger sons to seek new opportunities elsewhere as raiders, traders, and colonizers. The northern coast of Harn, formerly known as Jara, has been conquered by the Ivinians and is now known as Orbaal. The original Jarin inhabitants of the area and the Ivinian invaders will eventually assimilate as the generations pass, but in the meantime the Ivinians oppress the Jarin and the Jarin plot against their oppressors. The Ivinians tend to have lighter hair and eyes and be taller than average.

Harnians are the descendants of the original Jarin settlers and other Lythian races that followed the Jarin to Harn. Harnians have become the dominant race on Harn and the six human nations besides Orbaal are dominated by them. Approximately half of the tribal humans are also Harnian. Harnians display a wide range of hair and eye colors.

Average Ivinian male height and weight: 5’-10" and 162 pounds
Average Ivinian female height and weight: 5’-6" and 130 pounds

Average Harnian male height and weight: 5’-8" and 153 pounds
Average Harnian female height and weight: 5’-4" and 123 pounds

Average Jarin male height and weight: 5’-6" and 145 pounds
Average Jarin female height and weight: 5’-2" and 116 pounds

Dwarves

On Harn, the dwarves are known as Khuzan (both plural and singular). They have mostly retreated from the world of humans and almost all of them reside in their mountain kingdom of Azadmere. In fact, in most areas of Harn, the Khuzan are regarded as a myth. However, they have a centuries-long history of trading with the humans of the Kingdom of Kaldor (of which Asolade is a part) and are therefore known there. The Khuzan maintain a small mercantile concern year-round in Gardiren, a castle town at the end of the trade route from Azadmere (the Silver Way) and another in Tashal, the kingdom’s largest city. One also serves the King of Kaldor as the Inspector of Public Works, a mason responsible for overseeing the maintanence of royal fortifications, bridges, and so on.

A Khuzan can pass for a short, stocky, and hairy human to the ignorant. (Real human dwarfism also exists.) Even in Kaldor, most people only know someone who knows someone who once saw a Khuzan.

On Harn, the elves are known as Sindarin (both plural and singular). They have mostly retreated from the world of humans and almost all of them reside in their forest kingdom of Evael. In fact, in most areas of Harn, the Sindarin are regarded as a myth.

A Sindarin can pass for a short, slender, and unusually attractive human. Their ears are not pointed, but rather are rounded just like human ears.

“Pure” Sindarin exist, their blood completely undiluted by exposure to other races (especially humans). Called Sidhe (both plural and singular), they look like true creatures of faerie with pointed ears, almond-shaped eyes, and so on. Sidhe are extremely rare, reclusive, and totally unknown to humans.

Half-Elves

Sindarin often wander incognito among humans for a century or two in their youth and are not averse to pursuing romantic liasons with humans. As a result, there are half-elves on Harn; they are known as Aenarin (both plural and singular). The vast majority of Aenarin are raised by their human kin and remain completely unaware of their Sindarin heritage, though. (Even their human parent is likely unaware that his or her one-time lover was Sindarin.)

An Aenarin looks just like a human, albeit a slender and attractive one. They do, however, exhibit extremely subtle variations in appearance that make them readily identifiable to Sindarin, Sidhe, and Morsindar.

No Sidhe would consent to physical contact with a Sindarin, let alone a human. Therefore, no Aenarin is of Sidhe descent. A Morsindar could theoretically couple with a human, assuming that the human in question was not repelled by the completely black eyes of the Sidhe. An Aenarin descended from a Sidhe would have black irises and be distinguishable by that feature to any elf.

Dark Elves

Myths of “dark elves” are common throughout Harn. Ivinians use the term to refer to the Khuzan. Barbarians use the term to refer to boogeymen of all types. A civilized Harnian might use the term as a barbarian does or to refer to an evil Sindarin. The Sindarin themselves use the term in its true sense, as a reference to a group of Sindarin who are not merely evil, but have through metaphysical means severed all ties with their Sindarin kin. In doing so, they have become a distinct race known as the Morsindar (plural and singular).

A Morsindar looks just like a Sindarin, except for his or her completely black eyes (to include not only the irises, but also the sclera).

Morsindar are not an appropriate player-character race.

Orcs

Six hundred years ago in the heart of what was to become the Kingdom of Kaldor, the evil mage Lothrim brought to Harn the foulspawn. Properly known as Gargun, they have since spread to every corner of the island. Their thirst for blood is unquenchable and it is only their penchant for killing each other that keeps them from annihilating the other races.

A Gargun is short, bestial, and furry. It could never be confused for anything other than what it is.